Figure 4: Disk-sphere multigeometry nanoparticles.
From: Disk-cylinder and disk-sphere nanoparticles via a block copolymer blend solution construction
Block copolymer(s) were assembled in a THF and water solvent mixture (20 v% THF, 80 v% H2O) in the presence of EDDA at an amine-to-acid ratio=0.5. (a) Cryo-TEM image of vesicles formed by PAA150-b-PMA60-b-PS240. (c). Cryo-TEM image of spherical micelles formed by PAA75-b-PB104. (d) OsO4 stained cryo-TEM image of hybrid particles formed by 4:1 molar ratio blend of PAA150-b-PMA60-b-PS240 and PAA75-b-PB104. (e–j) OsO4 stained cryo-TEM images show the selected disk-sphere multigeometry nanoparticles with 1–6 sphere caps on the disk edges. Proposed distributions of block copolymer molecules in the hybrid nanoparticles are illustrated in (b). PAA150-b-PMA60-b-PS240 also reside in the disk rim area between spherical edge caps of PAA75-b-PB104 as marked by the dashed square. PMA and PS hydrophobic blocks are both coloured gold for clarity. EDDA molecules that closely associate with the PAA blocks within the assembled nanoparticles are not shown in the schematics for clarity. Scale bar, 100 nm.
